Music at Christ Church
Another exciting year of music-making at Christ Church lies before us: evensongs with some remarkable organists offering brief recitals as preludes, the beautiful Requiem by Matthew Coleridge with chamber orchestra, our annual service of Lessons and Carols, and the premiere of two new anthems — one by parishioner David Caleb, and one by Marty Wheeler Burnett. Additionally, we are excited to begin a new concert series featuring outstanding musicians performing in our space on Monday afternoons. Admission is free, though donations will gladly be accepted. We will conclude our year with something quite different for us — a Gospel Mass featuring our choir and instrumentalists.
Our children’s choirs will continue to play an important part in each Sunday’s musical offerings, and several guest instrumentalists will be featured throughout the year to augment the voices of our choirs. Of course, a highlight of our music each Sunday is our robust congregational singing. We routinely hear compliments from visitors regarding how strongly our parish sings — may that always be the case!
My deepest thanks goes to all of you who have donated so generously to our Friends of Music fund in the past. Your gift helps us to expand the quality and quantity of music we are able to offer each week at Christ Church, and most of our special offerings and guest musicians would not be possible without your support. I invite you once again to make a contribution that will help enrich our Church’s musical life.
Please know that wherever you are on your spiritual journey, you are welcome at Christ Church. Join us in making music!
For a complete list of music events throughout the year, please view our calendar. Email M. Jason Abel, Director of Music, if interested in participating in our choirs or if you have any questions.
Special Sundays
Special services at 5:00 p.m.:
October 6: Choral Evensong
November 3: Coleridge Requiem
December 8: Lessons and Carols
February 2: Choral Evensong
March 2: Choral Evensong
April 6: Choral Evensong
May 4: Ray Gospel Mass
Concerts at Christ Church
Second Monday of the Month | October through May | 12:15 p.m.
There is no admission for these concerts, though we hope audience members will support the series with a goodwill donation of any amount (suggested amount: $10). These 45-minute programs include solo performers and chamber musicians based in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.
October 14
Bach's Cello Suites; Wade Davis, cello
November 11
Organ works featuring music by Florence Price, Mendelssohn, & Bach; Midori Ataka, organ
December 9
Coventry Carols for Advent; DC Singer Collective
March 10
For the Flowers are Great Blessings: Songs for Spring; John Logan Wood, tenor & Carter Sligh, piano
April 14
Pergolesi's Stabat Mater; Margot Rood, soprano, Kristen Dubenion-Smith, mezzo soprano & strings
May 12
Classical Guitar works featuring music by Debussy, Poulenc, & Villa-Lobos; Maya Lončar, classical guitar
Choirs
Adults
The adult choir is a mixture of volunteers and professionals which is open to all who are willing to invest the time commitment such an ensemble requires. In addition to singing on Sunday mornings during the program year, the choir regularly sings services of Choral Evensong and other liturgical events. Rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings beginning at 7:30 p.m. This warm and inviting group of people is a wide mix of talent, but committed to championing good music and helping lead our parish in weekly worship.
Kids
To register your child please contact Jason Abel.
Canterbury Choir
- for children ages seven and above (must be able to read)
- sings weekly for the 10:00 a.m. worship service during the program year
- rehearses each Wednesdays from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. during the program year
- Members of the Canterbury Choir utilize the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) training system which teaches basic fundamentals of music as well as a basic understanding of our faith tradition and music history.
Cherub Choir
- for children ages seven and under
- sings once a month for our 10:00 a.m. worship service during the program year
- rehearses each Wednesday from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. during the program year
- Additionally, both choirs participate in the annual service of Nine Lessons and Carols in December.
The Bromley Organ
The current pipe organ in the church was built by the prestigious firm of Harrison & Harrison Organ Builders and installed in 2021. This is the sixth organ installed in our church's history. The instrument is named "The Bromley Organ" in recognition of the generous donation by Cap & Marilyn Bromley which made this addition possible. The specifications for the organ may be found here.